Improvement in dredging-mach ines



2 Sheets-Sheet 1';

E OHAQUETTE w Dredging-Machine. No. 222,380.

Patented Dec. 9, I879.

FEFERS, FHQTO-LITHOGRAPHER, WhSHINGTON, D Q

ZSheets-Sheet 2,

E. GHAQUETTE. Dredging-Machine.

Patented Dec. 9, 1879.

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UNITED STA ES ATE OFFICE EPHRAIEM GHAQUETTE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT I Nf DREDGIN G-MACHINESH Specification formingpart of Letters Patent No. 222,380, dated December 9, 1879; application filed May 17, 1879.

" To all whom it may concerm Be it known that I, EPHRAIEMGHA UETTE,

of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improved Dredging-Machine; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being'had to the accompanying drawings. 7

My invention relatesmore particularly to .1 that class of dredging-machines in which the material is raised through a suction-pipe either by means of a vacuum, by centrifugal action,

or by hydraulic force; and it consists of a revolving digger which is attached to the lower end of the suction-pipe, and is operated by mechanism on board of the dredge-boat, allas hereinafter more fully described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a vertical section. Fig. 2 is the disk forming the top of the chamber. Fig. 3 is the under side of the body of the chamber. Fig. 4 is the under side of the shell. Fig. 5 is a detached view of bucket; and Figs. 1 and 2, Sheet 2, are views of the skeleton case. Fig. 3 is avertical section. Fig.

4 is a view of the under side of the disk.

Let A represent an upright tube or pipe, through which earthy matter, stones, and gravel mixed with water are raised by suction or by hydraulic force. The lower end of this pipe is secured to a large circular plate or disk,

B, on one side of its center, and a passage is made through the plate coincident with the bore of the pipe or tube. This plate or disk forms the top or cover of a chamber, 0, the

body of which is somewhat smaller in diameter than the disk, so that the periphery of the cover or plate projects beyond the side of the chamber all around it. The bore or passage through the suction-pipe'A will then connect with the interior of the chamber through the cover or top.

I place the chamber 0 inside of a correspondingly-shaped case or shell, E, in which it fits, so that the case or shell incloses the bottom and sides of the chamber, while the'upper edge of the case fits against the under side of the projecting rim or periphery of the plate or "disk B. Through this case or shell I make openings 0, at short distances apart, in two or more rows, so that the line of openings extend around the sides, lower edge, and bottom of the case, as shown. Over each opening Isecure a scoop-shaped digger or bucket, f, the open ends of which all point in the same direction. The openings and their scoops or buckets are arranged in three horizontal rows, and the buckets of one row alternate withthe buckets in the next row, thus giving them a spiral arrangement from top to bottom. Through the chamber 0, about in line with the suction-pipe A, is arranged a hole, g, for each row ,of the buckets, to permit the dredged material to pass from the buckets into the chamber (land be taken up through the suction-pipe A.

H is a vertical rod or driving-shaft which passes down through the center of the disk B and chamber 0, and has its lower end secured to the center of the outside case or shell, E- This drivingshaft extends up to the dredgeboat, and is driven by power on boardthe boat.

Now, by applying power to drive this shaft the outside case or shell, E, is caused to revolve around the stationary chamber. If now moved against a bank or against earthy material the buckets will dig and fill and carry the material around to the openings 9 in the side of the chamber 0, through which each bucket will dump its load, so that it will fall directly under the suction-pipe in position to be caught and carried upward through the pipe A. g

This arrangement will give a positive and steady feed of earthy material to the suctionpipe as long as the buckets are held against the material to be dredged. It can" be a used for making all kinds of submarine excavations; and if an artificial stream of water'is supplied to it, it can be used for boring holes on landin fact, it forms an anger for boring into the earth and for carrying and delivering the borings or scooped earth into the chamber, where it is caught and drawn upward through the suction-pipe. V

For working among large rocks andbowlders I use a modification of the buckets represented in Figs. 1 and 2, Sheet 2, of the drawings.

This consists'of an outer open-work or skeleton case or partially-closed case, as seen'in Fig. 3,

and an inner similar open-work ,or skeleton case. A curved partition or bulk-head, 1', disposed around the lower end of the suctionpipe,

is securedin the insides chamber and opposite the openings in the outside chamber or case, leaving a narrow passage between the end of the partition and the inner case. Just opposite this passage is arranged a presser or spring foot, 8, with its free upper end directed toward the passage. The material that enters the inside chamber under the suction-pipe is retained by the partition or bulk-head 0" until it is drawn up the suction-pipe. Should a rock or bowlder enter the inside chamber through the feed-opening in the case it would be carried by the revolving of the case to the left through the passage between the end of the bulkhead and the case, and under the presser-foot s, which would force it out through one of the openings below in the case. The partially-closed case, when substituted for the outer one of the skeleton cases, remains stationary, while the inner case revolves, taking up the material through the opening in the partially-closed case into itself.

I do not claim any particular arrangement or disposition of the buckets on the outside rim of the revolving digger, as they can be variously arranged and applied; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a stationary ch amber having an eccentrically-disposed suctionpipe, of a revolving case or chamber provided with a series of excavating openings or buckets communicating with a coincident opening or openings in the stationary chamber, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the stationary chamber 0, having the openings g and eccentrically-disposcd suction-pipe A, of the revolvin g chamber E, with the openings 6 and buckets or scoops f, and driving-shaft H, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

EPHRAIEM OHAQUETTE. Witnesses:

W. FLOYD DUGKETT, W. F. CLARK. 

